Stefen Chow
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Stefen Chow | |
|---|---|
| 赵峰 | |
| Born | 1980 (age 45–46) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Alma mater | National University of Singapore |
| Occupations | Photographer, artist |
| Known for | Portraits, "The Poverty Line" project |
| Website | Official website |
Stefen Chow (Chinese: 赵峰; born 1980, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) a Malaysian photographer and artist based in Beijing, China. His work is widely published and exhibited internationally. In 2013, Chow's portrait of iconic Chinese artist and activist Ai Wei Wei was awarded at the World Press Photo.[1] Chow frequently collaborates with economist Hui-Yi Lin[2] using extensive data and research to produce long term visual projects. One of their prominent projects is “The Poverty Line",[3] a visual project that contextualizes global poverty. The Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago[4] and the Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum in Beijing has acquired works to their permanent collection.
Stefen Chow graduated from Temasek Junior College before pursuing tertiary education in the National University of Singapore (NUS). Subsequently, Stefen Chow was tasked with the role of being the team's photographer for the National University of Singapore (NUS) Centennial Everest Team in 2002–05. After the team successfully summited Mount Everest in 2005,[5][6][7] Chow decided to shoot professionally after meeting New York based UN photographer John Isaac and getting a positive review of his portfolio.[8]
In 2007, Chow left for New York City to assist professional photographers and take classes at the International Center of Photography.[8] He studied under photographer Amy Arbus,[9] daughter of Dianne Arbus. Chow also attended the Eddie Adams Workshop.[10] He shifted to Beijing in 2008 and has been based there since.
Works
Using data and extensive research, Chow's works take social and economic themes and translate them into visual art.
The Poverty Line
The Poverty Line is an ongoing project which began in China in 2010 and has since expanded to 28 countries across 6 continents. The Poverty Line uses food as a base to examine the choices a person living at the poverty line would face. Chow is the co-creator of the project together with Hui-Yi Lin, an economist.
The project has been featured by multiple international print and online publications[11][12][13][14][15] and exhibited as large scale installations in many prominent galleries and institutions.[16][17][18][19]
Equivalence
Equivalence is a project which talks about the tensions between a need and a want, from the haves and the have-nots. By comparing the value between a luxury item over a daily necessity, the project aims to invoke the question of equality in the viewer's mind.[20]
The Play Project
The Play Project is an aerial survey of 100 playgrounds spread across Singapore, which are then arranged and according to the subway map of the city on its website. The project was supported by the SG50 celebration fund. Photographed using a drone, the aerial view of playgrounds in Singapore is visually stunning, allowing viewers to see the playgrounds in Singapore in a new light. According to the research done by Stefen Chow and his collaborator Lin Hui Yi, there are about 1500 playgrounds in Singapore and this project has chosen 100 public playgrounds across Singapore to feature.[21][22][23]
